um, how much can we spend on stuff to un-uglify the item? Things like paint, thread, beads, buttons, fabric, glue, sequins, glitter...you probably get the idea. in some cases, it would be very possible to spend more on stuff to transform the item than the item itself!

Or should we use items that would be throw-away stuff?

Like, if I bought an ugly chair, and reulpostered it, could I get the fabric from a store, or would it need to be from an article of clothing that I was planning to toss out?